Dr. Danielle Kenfield is committed to a shared vision of academic excellence, social responsibility, creative expression, and athletic development. As a collaborator and capacity builder, she actively seeks those with the vision, initiative, and tenacity to develop and implement programs that respond to the needs and/or interests of Wilson students.
Principal Kenfield organized an Academic Senate, where all department leaders worked together toward the shared vision and mission of the school. With this collaborative community, Dr. Kenfield developed the school’s core values of Respect, Ownership, Adaptability, and Resilience (ROAR).
Dr. Kenfield engages students through the Student Senate – a student platform that provides students a space to share their visions and wishes for Wilson. For example, the Student Senate expressed concern about the lack of clarity and expectations for students from teachers during distant learning. Dr. Kenfield asked the Student Senate to focus on specific issues and propose solutions for that concern. The Senate proposed that all teachers incorporate into lessons three questions: 1) What are we learning? 2) Why is this learning important? and 3) How will we show that we learned it?
Collaboratively, the school community created a definition of what it means to “own” learning. This means that students not only will state the what and the why of what they are learning, but also will articulate how they learn best; will explain with evidence when they are struggling; will apply these skills in authentic settings; and will transfer these skills into future situations.
Dr. Kenfield led the school’s implementation of a comprehensive school improvement plan. She worked closely with teachers, parents, and students to develop and integrate project-based learning. She also established an after-school tutoring program to provide additional academic support to struggling students. The program includes teacher-led study groups and access to online resources. Through targeted interventions, academic support programs, and collaboration with teachers and staff, her leadership positively impacted student achievement and success.
Principal Kenfield advocates for and encourages students in the Dual Enrollment program with Mount San Antonio College. She has worked diligently to develop multiple course pathways including Career Technical Education, Biomedical, Engineering, and Computer Science. She has improved and opened course offerings for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme, providing opportunities for students on the IB Diploma track as well as course certificates.
When Principal Kenfield arrived eight years ago, Wilson had two sections each of Business and Biomedical Science, and one section each of Engineering and Computer Science. Today, Wilson boasts six sections of Business, ten sections of Biomedical Science, nine sections of Computer Science, and five sections of Engineering. In the past five years, the school implemented Culinary Arts, Child Development, and Visual Commercial Art career pathways.
Dr. Danielle Kenfield is a devoted, dedicated, caring, tenacious, and resilient leader. She has positively impacted Wilson High School, including school improvement, organizational structures, programs, and services.